While roughly eight million Americans tuned into the PBS season premiere on Sunday night, Oscar nominee Day-Lewis got his kicks elsewhere. BBC America‘s Anglophenia reports that the English-born actor (who is both a British and Irish citizen) scoffed at an inquiry regarding the Granthams and the have-nots.

“Are you kidding?” Day-Lewis responded with what was described as a mix of “sneering” and laughing.”

“That [sort of thing] is why I left England!”

We can only assume that Day-Lewis was in still character during that conversation. Thanks to his forefathers, Lincoln’s descendants will never have to be on the wrong end of merry old England’s upstairs-downstairs mentality.